In agriculture, working vehicles, in particular, tractors, are utilized for different tasks, for example, for tillage, for applying material such as seeds or fertilizer, on a field, for harvesting work, or for hauling work. Thus, different implements must be coupled to the working vehicle, such as plows, sowing machines, fertilizer spreaders, balers, mowing implements, attached forage harvesters or hauling trailers. The working vehicles are therefore equipped with one or more interfaces, at which different implements can be attached. Such interfaces can include a trailer hitch for attaching, e.g., a hauling trailer or a baler, a rear three-point hitch on the rear side of the working vehicle and/or a three-point hitch on the front side of the working vehicle, each of which is used for attaching implements that are not coupled via a tow bar, e.g., mowing implements, forage harvesters, fertilizer spreaders, sowing machines, or plows.
When attaching the implements, initially the working vehicle must be driven into a suitable position with respect to the implement. Subsequently, the couplings must be adjusted in such a way that connecting elements between the working vehicle and the implement can be closed. Finally, the connecting elements are then closed, in order to establish a temporary coupling of the implement to the working vehicle. In the prior art, these steps are carried out at an operator workstation of the working vehicle. Thus, the operator initially drives the working vehicle to a suitable point in the vicinity of the implement and then adjusts the coupling with respect to the working vehicle by actuating input elements disposed at the operator workstation for controlling external force-actuated actuators for adjusting the coupling. Finally, the implement is then locked at the coupling, which takes place either via remote control from the operator workstation or directly at the spot via manual action by the operator. In this case, it is not easy for the operator to achieve the correct position of the coupling with respect to the implement from his operator workstation, in particular in darkness or at twilight. Therefore, the operator often must climb down from his operator workstation in order to look at the interface and then, after returning to the operator workstation, carry out corresponding inputs for controlling the actuator. In the end, coupling the implements is highly time-consuming in many cases.
Arrangements have already been proposed, in which additional input elements for influencing the position of couplings and for selecting a gear ratio, including a neutral position of a power take-off drive, are installed on a rear fender of the working vehicle (e.g., DE 10 2005 003 325 A1), which input elements can be actuated by an operator standing behind or at the side of the working vehicle. In addition, wired or wireless remote controls for agricultural working nvehicles were proposed, with which the operator can control, inter alia, a hydraulic lifting unit and a power take-off shaft from outside the operator workstation (EP 1 004 230 A2, DE 102 17 398 A1, DE 10 2014 211 712 A1). As a result of these operating options, the visibility of the interface is improved but is not always sufficient for effectuating a problem-free coupling of the implement at twilight or in darkness. The lighting of the working vehicle that is usually present (DE 10 2007 013 810 A1, EP 2 402 213 A2) is designed to illuminate the surroundings of the working vehicle and, optionally, of the implement during road travel or field work and does not illuminate the interface particularly well.
In addition to the aforementioned implement interfaces of the working vehicles, it is also necessary, in the case of harvesting machines, for example, to adjust operating elements of the actual working vehicle, for example, the threshing concave gap or the size of the sieve opening in the case of a combine harvester. If these adjustments are not intended to be carried out from the operator workstation, but rather at the spot (either purely manually or by means of an external force-actuated actuator), the operator needs a flashlight, at twilight or in darkness, in order to see the adjustment, or a fixedly installed lighting device (cf. DE 10 2007 007 385 A1 for the lighting of a returns conveyor) is installed, which is switched on by means of a switch, which first must be located.
Lighting devices for working vehicles have also been described, which are controlled by means of a light sensor control and a motion detector, in order to make it easier for the operator to arrive at and leave the workstation in darkness by illuminating the access path (DE 10 2010 052 825 A1, EP 2 548 430 A1). The aforementioned problem is not solved as a result.